With harvest season soon to reach its peak in Colorado, areas across the state prepare to celebrate the bold flavors at the state’s signature food, wine and distillery festivals and events. Below is a sampling of events where visitors can experience Colorado's harvest season.
• The 11th Annual Mountain Harvest Festival (Sept. 22-25) in Paonia, Colo., is a celebration of locally grown and produced agricultural products across Delta County. www.mountainharvestfestival.com
• Loaf N’ Jug Chile and Frijoles Festival (Sept. 23-25) is Pueblo, Colo.’s harvest celebration showcasing the town’s most-loved crop, green chilies — particularly the Pueblo Chile. www.pueblochilefestivalInfo.com
• Fruita Fall Festival (Sept. 23-25) in Fruita, Colo., showcases the youth pet and talent show, the renowned bed race and a baking and canning contest. www.fruitafallfestival.com
• Autumn Gold (Sept. 24-25) in Estes Park, Colo., is a festival of bands, brats and beer featuring bluegrass, folk, western and rock music. www.estesparkcvb.com
• Harvest Fest (Sept. 24-25) invites visitors to partake in wine tastings and tours and enjoy local food selections, from local produce to salmon. www.abbeywinery.com
• Durango Cowboy Gathering (Sept. 29-Oct. 2) welcomes cowboys of all walks to flock to Durango, Colo., for a weekend of wild festivities. www.durangocowboygathering.org
• Penrose Apple Day (Oct. 1) in Penrose, Colo., celebrates harvest season with an Apple Day Queen, and Apple Day Dumplings and a free piece of apple pie. www.penrosechamber.com
• Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival (Oct. 7-9) brings distillers to Breckenridge, Colo., for a grand showcase featuring tastings of handcrafted spirits. www.gobreck.com/spirits-festival
• Chatfield Pumpkin Festival (Oct. 8-9) invites families to enjoy pumpkin decorating, pumpkin bowling and more. www.botanicgardens.org
• EatDenver Harvest Week (Oct. 9-13) is a celebration of Colorado food with a series of five dinners at the GrowHaus, featuring a local chef at each dinner. www.eatdenver.com
• Denver International Wine Festival (Nov. 2-5) will showcase 400 wines from 18 countries. www.denverwinefest.com
• Colorado Country Christmas Gift Show (Nov. 4-6) features Colorado’s Cookin’, an event showcasing unique local food products and demonstrations from Colorado chefs. www.coloradochristmasgiftshow.com
• The Colorado Cheese Festival (Nov. 5-6) at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds invites attendees to sample artisan cheese from local vendors. www.cocheesefest.com
The Details
www.coloradoagriculture.com/farmfreshA copy of the 2011 Colorado Farm Fresh Directory can be downloaded.
